SimCity – Facebook Connection – VIDEO GAME NEWS

June 6th, 2012 Geno

There’s a new mayor in town with SimCity™ Social! Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) today announced that SimCity, the world-renowned city-building simulator from Maxis that pioneered the genre, is coming to the largest social network in the world. A close collaboration between many talented people at Maxis and Playfish, SimCity Social brings the real city-building simulation to the masses, giving players the freedom to create sprawling cities that come to life as a result of player-driven choice. Launching globally on Facebook soon and currently in closed beta, SimCity Social is introducing groundbreaking innovations that change the landscape for social city-building.

“SimCity Social is a great addition, and we look forward to another high quality game becoming available to the hundreds of millions of people who play games on Facebook each month.”

“Facebook gamers have been waiting a long time for the original and best city-building game to come to the platform,” said Jami Laes, Vice President of Global Studios for Playfish. “This isn’t your typical drag and drop city-building game. Players don’t just build a city – they choose the kind of city they want and watch its soul come to life as it grows and reacts to their decisions. With SimCity Social, we’ve taken the best in social gaming design and married it with unprecedented depth to create an all-new deeply social experience.”

“Over the years EA has continued to bring major brands such as The Sims to Facebook,” said Sean Ryan, Director of Games Partnerships, Facebook. “SimCity Social is a great addition, and we look forward to another high quality game becoming available to the hundreds of millions of people who play games on Facebook each month.”

In SimCity Social, there are no set linear paths to follow; cities evolve as a direct result of player-driven choice allowing for more creative freedom. As mayor, players will deal with unforeseen issues like fires, crime and pollution, and will make crucial decisions that will help them discover how their cities take shape. Social interactions in SimCity Social go far beyond just visiting friends’ cities or using them as resources to complete tasks. Players can choose to build friendly relationships with other cities or form an intense rivalry through a dynamic and ever-evolving friend and foe system. With multiple options for city growth, unexpected gameplay events that shape the destiny of the city, and city-to-city relationships, players will see recognizable changes that bring forth aesthetic and gameplay alterations based on the decisions made in the game – for better or for worse.

SimCity fans can visit www.facebook.com/simcitysocial to view trailers and sneak a peek at content. “Like” us on Facebook to get in-game items at launch.

Press assets for SimCity Social are also available at info.ea.com.

About SimCity Franchise

SimCity Social arrives on the heels of the announcement of SimCity for PC which is currently in development at the world-renowned Maxis studio in Emeryville, Calif. For more than two decades, the king of city-building simulators has sworn in millions of virtual mayors from around the world. With its return in February 2013, SimCity will engage an entirely new generation of PC gamers as they take charge of their own customized cities and build a world that co-exists alongside friends. For the first time in SimCity franchise history, players’ decisions will have long-lasting repercussions that will extend beyond their city limits. Together, players will address real global challenges such as climate change, the search for renewable resources and natural disasters. It’s up to the players to decide whether to compete or collaborate to shape the world of tomorrow – for better or for worse.

SimCity for PC has not yet been rated by the ESRB. To stay up-to-date on the latest regarding SimCity please visit www.SimCity.com. Press assets for SimCity are available at www.info.ea.com.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 220 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™ and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

SimCity, Maxis, The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Battlefield is a trademark of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.